From 2008: McTeigue talks up Rain and Raizo at Comic Con.
You know…
I’m only now realizing just how much casual banter there was here about “a second movie” and “the next film”, concerning Ninja Assassin. Huh.
I’m just sayin’.
Enjoy this MovieWeb spot as McTeigue, who looks completely tickled pink, speaks on the subject of Rain dispatching people well with his trusty weapons. Heheh.
(The reporter definitely got some good stuff from Naomie first, I think… LOL! 🙂 )
— Stephe ^@@^
°
Ninja Assassin director’s 2008 ComicCon interview. (courtesy of movieweb @YT)
Cloud USA 
So true Terri! Whenever I read bad reviews about Ninja Assassin, I’m pretty surprised. Yeah… it could’ve been better. But come on now… it’s a ninja movie. I didn’t watch it expecting an Oscar caliber performance. I knew nothing of Rain and was expecting some great action and martial arts scenes from people affiliated with The Matrix and I got that and more.
I got it right away that Rain was supposed to keep his emotions locked down tight. He was raised that way. Hellooo!?! That’s why they showed the backstory. What part of that was hard to understand? He also played a ninja. Have any of them ever watched any ninja movies?? I doubt it, or they wouldn’t have made those comments about NA.
Actually Terri, I’m going to disagree with you a tad here and say I could’ve gone with less talking from the Interpol agents and more action in general. I actually fast forwarded most of that while I was watching the movie… 🙂 For such a short movie, they put way too much of a focus on the Interpol people, in my opinion. But hey, I’m an action movie girl. I usually like to see more a– kicking and less talking, so that was a big disappointment. Yeah they should’ve added 30 more minutes… of action!
As for the CGI blood… to me that was fun. It was supposed to be over the top. But hey… I like seeing people killed in over the top ways in action movies. I have 3 younger brothers who love that sort of thing so that’s what I grew up with. So sue me! 🙂
As for Rain’s performance in this movie, when I was done watching it, I was so taken with him I immediately had to Google him and I know I’m not the only person that felt that way. If that doesn’t say something about Rain’s screen presence, I don’t know what does. You could see right away that he was doing 99% of his stunts and that doesn’t happen that often in Hollywood. I was surprised and intrigued. I was not only intrigued with his phsyical ability but his sheer presence on screen. He didn’t have to say much… it was all written on his face. He sure does have that certain indefinable something, doesn’t he?
If you go to Amazon.com and check out the reviews of NA, you’ll see that out of the 114 people that reviewed it, 57 people gave it 5 stars and 36 people gave it 4 stars. That’s a large chunk of people that “got” the movie. So even if critics panned it, there were obviously people that felt compelled to say that even if you read bad reviews of this movie, they were wrong, go watch it.
I hope they do make a second NA with more action sequences and more Rain. But after hearing Rain talk in interviews about how much he went through to get that body and how much pain he went through even after the movie ended, and then seeing how much the movie made domestically and internationally, do we really think that will happen? Sigh… one can only hope.
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I agree with you ladies. If Twilight hadn’t opened at the same time, I think the film would have done much better.
One thing that continues to bug me are the scathing reviews of this film that are still roaming around the Internet. Who are these people who keep trashing this film? I just can’t figure out what their motivation is, because honestly, this film was just NOT that bad. (And I should know, seeing as how writing is my JOB.)
Could some things in the film have been done differently? Sure. Could they have been done better? Well, sure. But does Ninja Assassin really deserve the scathing reviews it has been receiving from some quarters? IMHO, no, it certainly does NOT.
Nor does Rain. Rain managed to put together some incredibly emotional moments given the constraints of his role as an ninja assassin, and yet he’s being given very little credit for that at all. It’s totally bizarre.
All these crappy reviews make me wonder is this: Did any of these reviewers actually WATCH the film or ever watch an actual ninja movie? I’m betting they did NOT.
So, crappy reviewers. This is for you. Since we know you didn’t watch the film and are most likely not going to before you launch into your next whinefest, here are a few clues about Ninja Assassin, compiled just for you. (That way you won’t even have to do any research, cause I’ve already done it for you. Not that you would actually DO any research, but still…)
Number one: Ninjas are SUPPOSED to be stoic and expressionless. That’s part of their JOB, part of what they are TRAINED to do. So, the fact that Rain is stoic and expressionless for most of this film does NOT make him a bad actor. Besides, Raizo was NOT emotionless in this film in any way, shape, or form. Watch the movie again and watch Rain’s face carefully, and you will actually see a great deal of emotion displayed–and in almost EVERY SCENE. Sigh.
The CGI blood was SUPPOSED to be over the top. Yes, that was done ON PURPOSE. Both McTeigue and Rain have explained that this movie was meant to have an “anime” feel to it, and that the over-the-top CGI blood was PART of that. What is it about this you don’t understand?
The Raizo flashbacks were NOT the worst part of the movie. They were actually a very critical part of this movie, mainly because the movie was supposed to be RAIZO’s story. If the viewer hadn’t been given insight into Raizo’s past, then they couldn’t have understood his present. I do think, though, that adding 30 more minutes to the film and giving us even MORE flashbacks and some additional transition sequences related to Interpol would have helped a lot. Don’t know why the producers thought we wouldn’t sit through a two-hour ninja action movie, but for some reason they decided that an hour and a half was enough. IMHO, it wasn’t.
The Interpol agents were NOT an unnecessary part of the plot. Raizo could not have defeated the enemy on his own. He needed Interpol’s man- and firepower. Again, the film would have been improved if the producers had added 30 more minutes to it. That would have given the writers more room to show the viewers exactly why Raizo wanted Interpol involved. But again, they didn’t, so that point is moot. They did the best they could with the time alloted. And for people with even half a brain, that really should have been enough.
Ninjas fading in and out of the darkness, being able to heal themselves supernaturally, and blurry final speed-battles in were NOT strange. Well, for a NINJA MOVIE, they weren’t anyway. These elements were actually “classic” ninja movie elements in a movie FILLED with elements paying homage to many of the ninja movies that came before it. If you had ever watched any classic ninja movies yourself, crappy movie reviewer, you would KNOW this. Again, the main problem with these elements is that none of the movie’s young audiences (and apparently none of the movie’s crappy young reviewers) are not ninja movie enthusiasts, and thus weren’t familiar with these elements. Note: With regard to the “battles were too dark” complaint, however, you are absolutely correct. On the big screen, the battles were MUCH too dark. However, on my Blu-ray disc player at home, the darkness wasn’t so heavy, and so there I actually could see every single move the actors made. My point is this problem may have been a “distiibution point” problem as opposed to an actual “movie” problem.
And if you STILL don’t get the movie after reading all of that, crappy reviewer, then I suggest you go watch the movie again. Because obviously, you missed something somewhere.
Terri :-}
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BiAlamode
i SO AGREE with u too
yup u got thzt straight out that is what in my though too for the pass rain ninja assassin would be BIG ASS BIG BOX OFFICE EVER of the year actually these i don”t why i very crazy about this rain acting he so good and very intigent woker for his duty he make sure is perfect and well know to part ofd act!!
well i do love to see rain in particulkar female acting too it well make the movies even HOTER to see and who would ofcurse ir rain !!
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i agree with you!!
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You know if it wasn’t for “Twilight: New Moon” being released during the same time period as Ninja Assassin, I believe NA would have had even bigger box office. It made $60 MIL, but is that enough for them to want to do a sequel? I SO HOPE they do. I know Hollywood is all about seeing “Green.”
Raizo and Mika DESERVE to “break that romance barrier” on screen. With two ethnic characters who never really get the opportunity to show romantic love on the big screen, an Asian man and a Black woman would be so awesome!!………(**my opinion**)
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